Shrimp aquaculture systems frequently experience environmental fluctuations such as salinity shifts and oxygen depletion, which can significantly affect shrimp health, performance, and survival. However, many experimental trials evaluating nutritional strategies or functional feeds are conducted under relatively stable conditions, which may not fully reflect the challenges encountered in commercial farming environments.
This study presents the development of controlled abiotic stress challenge models designed to evaluate shrimp robustness and tolerance under experimental conditions. Two environmentally relevant stressors were investigated: osmotic stress induced by salinity shifts and oxygen depletion through controlled reduction of dissolved oxygen levels. The models were designed to generate reproducible stress responses while maintaining experimental consistency.
Different stress intensities were explored to address various experimental objectives. Acute stress models can be used to rapidly assess shrimp tolerance thresholds, while mild or moderate stress conditions applied over longer periods may allow shrimp to physiologically adapt and reveal more subtle differences among treatments. Such approaches may also be more appropriate for evaluating responses at different shrimp stages or sizes.
The development of standardized abiotic stress challenge models focusing on osmotic and oxygen stress may provide valuable tools for evaluating functional feeds, nutritional interventions, and management strategies aimed at improving shrimp resilience. These models may help bridge the gap between laboratory trials and real farming conditions and support the development of more robust shrimp production systems.